ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday it is investigating complaints against the owner of a St. Augustine wedding venue that abruptly closed, leaving couples out thousands of dollars.

Several brides say they are still waiting for refunds after Chez L’Amour, a venue operated by Jeanetta Cebollero, suddenly shut its doors last month.

“I’m not really holding my breath, but it would be nice,” said bride Amy Mabe, who paid thousands before discovering the venue was closed. “I kind of felt duped.”

The closure sparking a dispute between Cebollero and her landlord. Cebollero said the business shut down due to maintenance problems, while the landlord claims she was a year behind on rent.

In a phone interview, Cebollero said she is working to refund clients but does not currently have the money. She said the funds were used for critical repairs to the venue.

“Unfortunately, keeping it open for day-to-day operations and needing to do those repairs, that’s where that went,” she said.

Cebollero also promised to donate event supplies to help brides offset costs and said she hopes to resolve any remaining agreements.

The complaints also extend beyond weddings. Danielle Moran, who bought VIP tickets to this year’s “As If 90’s Fest” promoted by Cebollero, said she never received a refund after the event was canceled.

“This year we actually upgraded to VIP,” Moran said. “It was a little over $100, which was a lot for me, but I was excited about it.”

Cebollero insisted all refund requests for the festival were processed by June 14 and advised anyone who still has not received money to file a chargeback through their bank.

Her attorney, Richard Brooks with the St. Augustine Law Group, said customers awaiting refunds should contact his office directly.

Cebollero said she plans to reach out early next week to brides still waiting on refunds. The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office confirmed its investigation is in the early stages.